Filing spindle



May 14; 1929.

I L. 5.. RILEY FILING SPINDLE Filed Oct. 1927 Patented May 14, 1929.-

' LESTER S. R iILEY, 0F READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING SPINDLE.

Application filed October 6, 1927. Serial No. 224,358.

This invention relates to a filing spindle adapted for desk use to receive and'hold miscellaneous papers temporarily or preparatory to permanent filing.

The ordinary filing spindle for desk use consists of an upright spindle set. in a base and having its upper end sharpened for impaling or piercing papers when forced down upon it but such devices are open to theob ection that a sharp point tears the paper and frequently obliterates the writing or printing thereon. Also when one is working at a desk there is the possibility of injury from striking the sharp point of the spindle in an unguarded movement. Another disadvantage is that the papers when removed from the spindle are loose and separated and must be sorted and secured together. anew for use or for permanent filing.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a simple filingspindle which will not injure the papers pierced or impaled byits point nor obliterate the written matter thereon and to this end the point of the spin dle is so formed as to make a semicircular cut in the paper thereby forming a semicircular tongue which can be turned back after the paper is removed from the'spindle without affecting the legibility of the document.

Anotherobject is the provision of a spindle so constructedas to remove all possibility ofinadvertent injury to the hands and" to this end the pointed end portion of the spindle is pivotally mounted to permit it tobe turned into an innocuous horizontal position'a'fter the filing or removal of a paper.

A further object of the invention is the pro- I vision of a spindle having means for drawing a string or wire through the papers on the spindle to facilitate holding the papers together when removed from the spindle. I accomplish this object by mounting the spindle proper in a supporting sleeve which receives and holds the papers and the spindle has its lower end formed fordrawing the fastening element through the sleeve.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described'hereinafter.

In the drawingsshowing one form of the invention, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a filing spindle constructed in accordance with my invention and ready for use; Fig.

2 is a verticalcentral sectional view with the spindle proper in elevation, the parts being shown in normal operative position; Fig. 3

- movement.

is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in position preparatory to threading the papers on the spindle on a wire or cord and with the upper end of the spindle turned horizontally and Fig. 1 is, a side elevation partly in section of the upper part of the spindle proper.

Referring to the drawings illustrating one form of the invention, 10 designates a base which may be of any suitable form but as shown is bell-shaped, 12 indicates a spindle and 1a a sleeve within which the spindle is removably mounted. The sleeve is threaded in upright position in the base through an inwardly projecting hub portion 16 and the spindle 12 is looselymounted in the sleeve. Upon the upper end of the spindle is pivotally mounted on a rivet or pin 18, a head piece 20. The upper end of the spindle is cut out to receive the shank 22 of the head piece so that each is semi-circular in cross section and the two together are in cross section equal in diameter to the inside diameter ofthe main portion of the spindle. The headportion 20 is of the same diameter as the sleeve and'abuts the upper end of the sleeve to prevent the spindle dropping down through the sleeve. In this position the shank of the head portion lies within the sleeve and the head portion is thereby locked against pivotal The lower end of the spindle is flattened V and in the form-of a hook 2 1 for receiving a cord or wire 26 to .be used in binding together papers on'the sleeve. For impaling papers, the'end of thehead-pieceis cut at an angle to its longitudinal axis (Fig. 1) by a straight cut which thereby forms a rounded sharp edge 28 adapted to make a semi-circular cut in the paper impaled by it...This'1cut' forms a semi-circular tongue in the paper and when the latter is removed from the filing spindle the former may be pressed back into place to permit the reading of any printed or written matter thereon. This form' of impaling member is prefrable to the forms generally used which are apt to I cut or tear the paper along several divergent lines and to impair the legibility of the writtenor printed matter on the paper.

In the use of a filing spindle constructed in accordance with my invention, the normal position of the devlce ready to-recelve papers isshown in Figure 1. The papers are im' paled uponthe sharp edge 28 and pressed down upon the sleeve 14., after which the spindle may be raised slightly in the sleeve by the head piece 20 to withdraw its shank from the sleeve when it may be turned horizontally to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the spindle then dropped until the shank abuts the top of the sleeve. In this position, the papers are locked in the sleeve and there is no danger of the papers being blown from the spindle by the wind, a contingency which sometimes happens in the old forms of spindle when they are fully loaded. At the same time, the horizontal position of the impaling point eliminates all the danger oi injury from unguarded movements which is present in the use on a crowded desk of an upright sharp spindle.

To remove an intermediate paper from the file without removing any other papers, the spindle may be partially withdrawn from the sleeve and all the papers above the one to be removed may then be pushed onto the spindle which is then entirely separated from the sleeve. The desired paper may then be taken from the sleeve after which. the end of the spindle is again inserted in the sleeveand the papers on the spindle pushed. down onto the sleeve or the spindle may be pushed into the sleeve atthe same time that the papers are moved. This operation is of extreme simplicity and saves much time and effort over the ordinary procedure of removing from the file all the papers above the one desired.

My invention also provides a simple and expeditious way of binding together in the order of filing the papers carried by the filing spindle. A wide or cord 26 may be looped around the hooked end24 of the spindle and drawn through the sleeve thereby and the papers on the sleeve may then bemoved upwardly andoflf the sleeve onto the wire .or cord and tied together.

It is to be observed that the illustrated form of the invention is of great simplicity in. construction which contributes-to a low cost of production and. that by unscrewing the sleeve from the base it may be packedin a small compass for shipment.

What I claim is:

1'. A filing spindle comprising a base, a

sleeve set upright in said base, a spindle removably mounted in said sleeve and a head pivotally mounted on said spindle and having its end formed for impaling papers filed on said spindle without injury to the legi bility of the inscriptions thereon; said head having a reduced shank portion projecting into said sleeve to hold said head in normal impaling position. V

'2. A filing spindle comprising a base, a sleeve set upright in' said base, a spindle slidably'mounted in said sleeve and a paperimpaling head pivotally mounted on the upper end of said spindle, said head being of enlarged diameter to engage the end of said sleeve to hold said spindle in operative position therein and having a shank portion projecting into said sleeve to prevent pivotal movement of said head except when said shank is withdrawn from said sleeve.

3. A filing spindle comprising a hollow base, a sleeve set upright on said base, a spindle removably mounted in said sleeve, said spindle having its upper end cut out longitudinally and an impaling member having an enlarged head engaging the upper end of said sleeve and a reduced shank portion pivotally secured to the cut-out end of said spindle, said shank portion fitting within the upper end of said sleeve to hold said impaling member in operative position.

4. A filing spindle comprising a base, a sleeve set upright in said base, a spindle slid ably and removably mountedin said sleeve, said'spindle having its upperend cut out and its lower end hook-shaped, an impaling member having an enlarged head for engaging the upper end of said sleeve and a shank of reduced diameter, and means pivotally connecting said shank to the cut-out portion of said spindle whereby said head may be held in operative upright position by the projecting of said shank into said sleeve or may be turned crosswise of said sleeve to prevent removal of papersfrom said spindle.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of August, 1927.

' LESTER s. RILEY. 

